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Getting started with Zulip

Welcome to Zulip! This page guides you through getting started using Zulip. If you are setting up a new organization, you may also want to check out our guide for setting up a new Zulip organization.

Mastering Zulip can take a bit of time, but once you get the hang of it, you'll never want to use a different team chat app!

Set up your account

If this is your first time using Zulip, we recommend starting with the web or desktop experience to set up your account and get oriented.

Learn about Zulip topics

In Zulip, streams determine who gets a message. Topics tell you what the message is about.

Topics are light-weight subjects, very similar to the subject line of an email. Like in email or a forum, messages about the same topic are shown together as a conversational thread. Here is what it looks like in Zulip.

Streams and topics

Topics are one of the most wonderful aspects of using Zulip:

  • Lots of conversations can happen in the same stream at the same time, each in its own topic. You never have to worry about interrupting — each conversation has its own space.
  • Conversations can last many hours or days, letting everyone respond in their own time. Don't worry about replying long after a message is sent — everyone will see your reply in context.

Check out Why Zulip to learn more about how Zulip's topic model helps transform how your organization communicates.

Reading your messages

Like your email inbox, Zulip works best if you read it topic-by-topic.

Finding a topic to read

From Recent topics

Use the Recent topics view to get an overview of all the ongoing conversations. This view is particularly useful for catching up on messages sent while you were away.

  • Instructions for all platforms

  1. Open Recent topics from the left sidebar or by pressing the Esc key.

  2. The filters at the top help you quickly find relevant conversations. For example, select Participated to narrow to the topics you have sent messages to.

From the list of streams

In the left sidebar, you can see the streams you are subscribed to, along with unread message counts for each stream.

  • Instructions for all platforms

  1. Click on the name of a stream in the left sidebar. You will see a list of the most recent unread topics in that stream.

  2. The initially shown list of topics usually has what you need, but you can click on "more topics" underneath to see additional topics.

Older topics disappear from the left sidebar, but you can always find them by clicking “more topics” or by using search.

Reading topics

  • Via recent topics
  • Via left sidebar

  1. Open Recent topics from the left sidebar or by pressing the Esc key.

  2. Click on the name of a topic in the Topic column.

  3. Read the topic, scrolling down with the mouse or by pressing Fn + ↓.

  4. If the topic is not of interest, you can mark all messages as read or do so by jumping to the end using the End key.

  5. You can then click on another topic in the left sidebar, use the n key to go to the next unread topic, or go back to the Recent topics view.

  1. Click on the name of a stream in the left sidebar. You will see a list of the most recent unread topics in that stream.

  2. Click on a topic in the left sidebar.

  3. Read the topic, scrolling down with the mouse or by pressing Fn + ↓.

  4. If the topic is not of interest, you can mark all messages as read or do so by jumping to the end using the End key.

  5. Click on the next topic in the left sidebar, or use the n key to go to the next unread topic.

  6. To go to older unread topics, use the n key or click "more topics" to view.

Reading private messages

  • Instructions for all platforms

  1. Click on Private messages in the left sidebar.

  2. Click on a conversation in the left sidebar under Private messages.

  3. Read the conversation, scrolling down with the mouse or by pressing Fn + ↓.

  4. If the conversation is not of interest, you can mark all messages as read or do so by jumping to the end using the End key.

  5. Click on the next conversation in the left sidebar, or use the p key to go to the next unread conversation.

  6. To go to older unread conversations, use the p key or scroll down in the Private messages section of the left sidebar to view.

Sending messages

When to start a new topic

To get the full benefits of Zulip's topic model, when starting a new conversation, you should start a new topic!

Starting a topic is like a lighter weight version of giving your email a subject. Topic names should be brief but specific, e.g.:

  • Good topic names: "question about topics", "welcome Anna Smith!", "issue #1234"
  • Not so good topic names: "question", "hi", "help", "this topic is about a question I have about topics"

Don't overthink naming your topic. The first 2-3 words that come to mind are probably fine!

How to start a new topic

  • From a stream view
  • From other views

  1. Click the New topic button at the bottom of the Zulip window, or type c.

  2. Enter a topic name. Auto-complete will provide suggestions for previously used topics.

  3. Press Tab or click on the compose box to compose your message.

  4. Click Send, or use Enter or Ctrl + Enter (depending on whether the Press Enter to send option is checked).

  1. Click the New topic button at the bottom of the Zulip window, or type c.

  2. Enter a stream name. Auto-complete will provide suggestions for streams you can send to.

  3. Enter a topic name. Auto-complete will provide suggestions for previously used topics.

  4. Press Tab or click on the compose box to compose your message.

  5. Click Send, or use Enter or Ctrl + Enter (depending on whether the Press Enter to send option is checked).

In Zulip, you can compose a message to a different place than the one you are viewing. In this situation, the message feed will fade to indicate what's going on.

Starting a new private thread

  • Instructions for all platforms

  1. Click the New private message button at the bottom of the Zulip window, or type x.

  2. Type the names of one or more recipients. Auto-complete will provide suggestions for users you can message.

  3. Press Tab or click on the compose box to compose your message.

  4. Click Send, or use Enter or Ctrl + Enter (depending on whether the Press Enter to send option is checked).

Rather than kicking off a group thread, consider starting the conversation in a new topic to make it easier to browse later on.

Responding to an existing thread

To reply to an existing thread:

  • Instructions for all platforms

  1. Click the Message... button at the bottom of the Zulip window.

  2. Press Tab or click on the compose box to compose your message.

  3. Click Send, or use Enter or Ctrl + Enter (depending on whether the Press Enter to send option is checked).

You can also reply by clicking on a message, or using r or Enter to reply to the message in the blue box.

Messaging tips & tricks